Logan and Albert Conservation Association
BAHRS SCRUB is one of Logan's natural treasures.
The area is home to many plants - some unique and existing no where else in the world.
But unlike our usual regard for treasure, when it is a land area we believe it exists mainly to benefit the economic growth of a developer - whether the developer be a large company or one person. Such are the natural values of Bahrs Scrub that many natural area scientists eg botanists, ecologists, zoologists, geologists made recommendations many years ago that the area become a NATIONAL PARK! Common land which is owned by the country for the benefit of all people seems to little understood or valued in our societies rush to build more housing for human habitat - with not enough regard for the displaced species - such as the vulnerable koala - now listed as endangered federally.
Click on image above to go to larger image for LDAP.
Click here for link to all council documents relating to Local Development Area Plan.
Council's proposed plan was available for comment - now closed - and all relevant documents are able to be viewed on council's site.
There are many differences, aspects of dissention and anomalies with the proposal and what environmental groups such as LACA Logan and Albert Conservation Association, BREC Brisbane Regional Environment Council and SBSA Save Bahrs Scrub Alliance which includes GECKO Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council and respected botanist Glenn Leiper believe are needed to achieve a better environmental outcome.
BREC says BAHRS SCRUB IN LIMBO.
Biod
iversity is at the very heart of the survival of our human race and life on earth as we know it now. What we also know is that our present day activities and ways of living are having an enormous and detrimental impact on the planat and all of its species.
We all need each other to survive - yet we continue to whittle away at little bits - without being able to see the bigger picture.
Some plants within BAHRS SCRUB are unique - existing no where else in the world. Yet these plants are dependant on all surrounding pieces of biodiversity infrastructure. All eleven plants identified in the booklet are recognised as being endangered by Queensland or Australian governments. Will these plants survive in their natural environment? Or will we clear the busland for human settlement?
How much do you value the bushland and its creatures and what they contribute to our cultural life health and well being?
Are you someone who believes it is still necessary for economic prosperity that we continue to destroy our bushland. Only 200 years of western 'progress' may not always be viewed as progress?
LACA is one of the member groups of the SAVE BAHRS SCRUB ALLIANCE. We are all appreciative that our application for funding for this flora booklet was successful with Logan City Council's Envirogrant 2010 program.
Please obtain a copy of the booklet - read and enjoy the beauty of what is uniquely ours in Logan - and look out for the LOCAL AREA PLAN due to be released Monday 8 November 2010 for community consultation. Please involve yourself in this consultation process.
Click here or on the image to be download a cpoy of the booklet from the Save Bahrs Scub Alliance website.
More will be posted when the plan is available
KOREN HELBIG reporter from Albert and Logan News www.albertlogannews.com.au published our concerns in 25 November 2009 edition. She also provided an opportunity for Logan City Council to comment. Copy here 
alb005.pdf
A NEW group lobbying against a large housing development planned for Bahrs Scrub has likened the Logan City Council proposal to the Traveston Dam debacle. Save Bahrs Scrub spokeswoman Petrina Maizey said thousands of ratepayer dollars would be wasted on preliminary studies and impact statements needed to assess the 4000-lot development's viability.
She said such studies would prove that the 510ha zone bordered by Wuraga and Sharton Roads was environmentally significant and that ‘‘exceptional'' flora and fauna must be protected.
‘‘Ratepayers' money will have to be used by the council only to find what our preliminary investigations and other studies have already made abundantly clear - hat this development is not viable physically, environmentally or economically on 70 to 80 per cent of the selected site,'' Ms Maizey said.
The black plum of Bahrs Scrub Pouteria Eerwah is listed as a federally endangered plant. In another area of Logan we have another plant commonly called Veresdale Plum - also Pouteria Eerwah and LACA, Logan and Albert Conservation Association, has established a recovery and management plan for that species.
Although the very High conservation values are well known by authorities they are not officially recognised or acknowledged and recorded. The unique habitat zone called Bahrs Scrub covers suburbs / regions of Belivah, Bahrs Scrub, Windaroo, and Holmview. It is zoned under the current SEQ Regional Plan as a Major Development Area MDA for 11,000 dwellings - to match a density ratio per hectare nominated by state government.
Neighbouring areas have already been expanding under non-sustainable development practices with impacting infrastructure and mass clearing of forested areas. Koalas and platypus are know to live in the area as they are frequently seen. There is an existing Conservation Park which is very limited and threatened by urban encroachment as there are no buffers. Being home to rare, threatened, vulnerable, and endangered species of flora and fauna, including koala and platypus has not yet afforded the guarenteed protection one would expect in a contemporary society.
Newly discovered in 2008, unique flora species have recently been found to occur in this area and have Bahrs Scrub as part of their name.
Can we save Bahrs Scrub?
A presentation to Hon Peter Garrett, Minister for Environment, Heritage, and the Arts, with particular reference to the draft National Biodiversity Strategy was made by two of our Bahrs Scrub concerned citizens. The presentation was made by Petrina Maizey and Glen Leiper during the federal community cabinet meeting held at Beenleigh in the Forde electorate.
Bahrs Scrub has unfortunately been shuffled around and between local government areas. This happened when Logan was established as a new city and recently when our state government decided to amalgamate local councils. As a result of this Bahrs Scrub moved from the jurisdiction of the Albert Shire to become an outreach of Gold Coast Shire. Then as a reult of amalgamation this same area is an outreach of Logan City Council.
Bahrs Scrub has always been on the outskirts of the local authority boundary. Gecko - Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council has been actively engaged in monitoring and protecting this area and working with Gold Coast city council for many years. The area nows falls within the catchment of LACA - Logan and Albert Conservation Association as we endeavour to work with Logan City Council to achieve, we hope, best long term environmental outcomes.
Why the urgent need for this presentation and our 'campaign'?
Logan City has been targeted as an area for future development by state govenment's SEQRP or South East Queensland Regional Plan. People are rushing to SEQ and councils have been directed by state government to provide 'affordable housing' for these people. In Logan there are 8 such areas - all of which require Local Area Plans and innumerable manhours - funded by us to create our future.
This article makes use of the major points presented in the presentation - and will be followed by more. If you are interested in protecting the environmental values present in Bahrs Scrub Precinct and would like to be involved please contact us at bahrsscrub at laca.org.au or use the form on the contact page.
This position is one that concerned conservationists welcome.
An understanding and respect for the term ecologism is essential to progress survival of Australia's biodiversity.
Many of us practice shallow ecologism: that species have value only in relation to their benefit to human beings. Deep ecologism recogizes and accepts that species and landscapes have an intrinsic value and right to thriving existence.
Australia's National Biodiversity Strategy hovers between the two. However, we believe that overt commitment to deep ecologism required by all
Australians if biodiversity decline is to be reversed.
Australia's first national biodiversity strategy, the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia's Biological Diversity, was prepared by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) and endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments in 1996.
The strategy fulfills Australia's obligations under the International Convention on Biological Diversity.
A review of the National Biodiversity Strategy has been conducted by the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and a new strategy is expected to be endorsed in November 2009. You can follow the review and read submissions from this page.
Does legislation protect biodiversity?
Mostly no - legislation fails to ensure protection of unique biodiversity hotspots such as Bahrs Scrub!
The priority of current Environment and Urban Planning Laws is not to protect environment.
Priority is to mitigate species loss and/or to ensure environment does not interfere with project.
Such a perspective inevitably leads to habitat loss and therefore species loss.
Queensland is the last bastion of ‘injurious affection' ---old zonings cannot be changed without incurring massive compensation costs.
Judges, upon whose attitudes final decisions often hinge, do not have a deep ecologism perspective.
Unscrupulous developer practices and accidental catastrophes negate conservation concerns.
Environmentalists and concerned citizens are dismayed at lack of foresight by state government and local councils which blindly accept SEQRP urban footprint proposals.
Ted Fensom, pictured aside, has been campaigning, and continues to campaign to assist local communities to protect what remains of open space, natural habitats and bioregional corridors, good quality agricultural lands, wetlands and riverine vegetation. Many of our rare and threatened fauna species depend of these patches of disconnected fragmented bushlands.
Glenn Leiper's presentation at the community meeting held at Windaroo Valley high school 5 November 2009 highlighted the rare and threatened and newly discovered plant species that are part of Bahrs Scrub biodiversity. Information about these rare flora will be added soon.
Albert and Logan news reported our concerns in July this year. Story is repeated here.
Invitation to attend Save Bahrs Scrub public meeting
The Bahrs Scrub precinct has been known for more than two decades to be a biodiversity hotspot, containing threatened wildlife, including koala and platypus, and rare vegetation including newly discovered species.
Despite this knowledge, Bahrs Scrub has been fast-tracked by the SEQ Regional Plan as a Local Development Area within Logan City Council, projected to accommodate 11,000 residents.
Gold Coast & Hinterland Environment Council (Gecko) , Logan & Albert Conservation Association (LACA), Brisbane Region Environment Council (BREC) and Wildlife Logan invite you to attend this important public meeting.
Unique Bahrs Scrub conservation values and other development constraints will be discussed at a public meeting to be held at
Windaroo Valley State High School (Beenleigh Beaudesert Rd, Windaroo)
Thursday November 5, 2009
6:30 to 7:30 pm.
For further information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 3287 4377
Albert and Logan News 4 November 2009 cover the story of this development online in this article.... Activists combine to ban houses.
During the 1980s botanists ecologists and other environmental scientists discovered the beauty rarity and majesty of the Bahrs Scrub area - home to many unique rare or now endangered species - both flora and fauna. A proposal was made to the government of the day to declare it as a National Park. This unfortunately did not eventuate.
Those of us who value and respect landscapes with rare and endangered species will always look for lawful ways to protect preserve and enhance those species. As we work towards this end we will try to take the reader on a journey to discover the history of this special area of Bahrs Scrub and look to preserve it for posterity. Veresdale Scrub - a nearby now denuded dry vine rainforest - is almost extinguished by development encouraged by governments of the time.
Unless and until a ground truthing exercise to map all plants and animals and slopes has been conducted then it is irresponsible to plan for high density housing developments which could obliterate much of this biodiversity hotspot.
The Quest newspaper from Enoggera reports this week that almost one million hectares of Queensland has become nature refuge as more private property owners agree to set aside land for conservation. Environment Minister Kate Jones, also the State Member for Ashgrove, said 14 new conservation agreements had been signed with landholders this week, protecting an extra 172 thousand hectares across Queensland. The massive Toko Range, southwest of Mount Isa, is the largest among the latest nature refuges in the state.
Ms Jones says the new agreements bring the state's total land covered under the nature refuges program to more than 900 thousand hectares.
Wouldn't this be a great option for the current landowners of Bahrs Scrub? Better of course if the area became a National Park. However, landowners who join the nature refuge program are helped financially to maintain and enhance the landscape.
Major conservation councils, GECKO - Gold Coast & Hinterland Environment Council, and BREC - Brisbane Region Environment Council, and peak groups, Logan & Albert Conservation Association and Wildlife Logan have come together to promote responsible outcomes for Bahrs Scrub which preserve the area's unique, extremely high conservation values and acknowledge multiple development constraints.
In addition to multiple development constraints we are keen to work with Logan City Council landowners and developers to achieve an ecologically sustainable development for human settlement. As yet we have seen little on ground evidence that this concept is understood by those making decisions for us.
YOU CAN HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WAY WE LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
Join one of the groups to learn more about sustainable developments.
Join one of the groups to help repair some unsustainable developments.
ALBERT AND LOGAN NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 page 13 article reads as follows
Activists combine to ban houses [at Bahrs Scrub]FOUR conservation groups are joining forces to fight a 4000-lot housing development proposed for sensitive bushland at Bahrs Scrub.
Spokeswoman Petrina Maizey said the Logan City Council plan to allow 10,000 more people into a 510ha zone bordered by Wuraga and Sharton roads was
''irresponsible''.
She said the area housed endangered wildlife and flora and was unsuitable for development as it had serious soil and slope stability problems.
Save Bahrs Scrub
Public Meeting Invitation
Do you want to lose unique bushland with koalas, platypus and rare plants to yet more urban development?
This is the proposed fate of Bahrs Scrub.
If your answer is NO!, Gecko, LACA, BREC and Wildlife Logan invite you to attend an important public meeting to be held at:
Windaroo Valley State High School
Beenleigh Beaudesert Rd, Windaroo
Thursday November 5, 2009 6:30 - 7:30 pm.
The four peak environment groups are determined, with your help, to protect for all time this important and unique area, and hope to establish the Save Bahrs Scrub community group. The Bahrs Scrub precinct, once proposed as a National Park, has been known for more than two decades to be a hotspot for a variety of wildlife, including koala and platypus, and rare vegetation, including newly discovered species.
Despite this knowledge, Bahrs Scrub has been fast-tracked by the SEQ Regional Plan as a Local Development Area within Logan City Council, projected to accommodate 11,000 residents.
Major conservation councils, Gecko - Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council, and BREC - Brisbane Region Environment Council, and peak groups, Logan & Albert Conservation Association and Wildlife Logan have come together to promote responsible outcomes for Bahrs Scrub which preserve the area's unique, extremely high conservation values and acknowledge multiple development constraints.
We need your support to Save Bahrs Scrub!
If you are interested and unable to attend this meeting please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
As Logan City Council explained on their website the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 has identified the Bahrs Scrub locality as a Local Development Area. Council residents and land owners had an opportunity to input into the SEQRP and the area of Bahrs Schub has been selected by state government and targeted or 'identified' as an area to be developed for urban purposes and in doing so help Council achieve the dwelling targets allocated to it in the regional plan. It is not council that set those targets - but state government which is heading down the path towards bigger population targets for SEQ - and Logan City Council is very supportive of the state's targets.
Council must now prepare a more detailed Local Development Area Plan for this locality. This plan will identify those areas suitable for urban purposes and those areas required to be conserved or managed for a variety of purposes.
The plan will also identify the range of necessary infrastructure needed to support development of this locality.
Council has now commenced this plan making process. The final plan and its statutory components will then need to be integrated into Council's planning scheme.
Council is currently in the initial scoping stage. This stage is intended to identify the range of issues that need to be addressed during the plan making process. As part of this process Council is consulting with a range of stakeholders, including State Government Agencies and landowners as to what they see as the significant issues for developing this locality. These issues will then be feed into consultancies briefs for further studies to be undertaken. The outputs of these studies will then be used to formulate a range of land use options that can then be further tested and refined.
The big questions to be asked here are - what are the benchmarks for sustainable development?